"She knew only one way to get away..." Excerpt from WHEN NOONDAY ENDS

When a new attorney accepts a case
of a woman accused of attempted homicide, he finds himself entwined in age-old
secrets and a family who will stop at nothing to conceal them—even murder.

Last
week I shared a glimpse into the psyche of our female protagonist, Shelby, an abused woman caught
up in the secrets of her ex-husband's family. I thought I’d give you one more peek
into her life before I move onto romance. Because as much as I love my
mysteries, you know how I love romance. :)

Excerpt:

When they got home, she carried Justin
inside and lowered him into his crib. He stirred a bit, opened his eyes, and
then shut them again with a soft smile on his lips. He must not have slept in
the last few days. She layered the blanket over his tiny body. “It’s okay,
sweetie. Momma will figure out how to fix this.”

She turned to walk out of the room and
bumped right into Carlin. He reached out and steadied her, pulling her against
his chest. She cringed, but allowed him to wrap his arms around her. She’d
refused to have sex with him since she’d moved in, insisting that he had to
prove that he wouldn’t abuse her anymore. Of course, the first time he got
jealous he was beating her again. Or trying. She would never let it happen
again without fighting.

What had she been thinking? She knew he would
never change, and she didn’t even love him. She’d just gotten lazy at trying so
hard to make it as a single mother.

Carlin was always sorry afterward, but
that’d wear off next time he got drunk or assumed she was having an affair.

Why he always accused her of cheating, she
never knew; she’d never given him cause to believe she was cheating. Nor had
she ever cheated on him. She didn’t want or need a man. Even when they’d
separated, she hadn’t dated.

Yeah, she recognized a cute guy when she
saw one—like that lawyer. But he was a rich kid too. He’d probably be the same
way.

As Carlin stroked her hair, she could hear
his soft sobs. He was so weak. Probably the reason he hit her. The strength he
didn’t have inside came out through his fists, as though he had to prove he was
a man. In some sick, demented way, he probably did love her, but she couldn’t
trust him anymore. He’d turned a vicious hand on her too many times. She needed
to get away from him for good, and she knew only one way.

College and career are hard enough without bringing love into the mix, so the last thing Jesse is looking for is a spring break f...

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